Man Chooses 1–Year Jail Term Over Refunding N1.5bn Mistakenly Credited to His Account

By Micheal Chukwuebuka

A Nigerian man has sparked widespread debate online after opting to serve a one-year jail term rather than refund N1.5 billion mistakenly credited to his First Bank account.

Ogo Ehosa Kingsley, a First Bank customer, was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on January 19, 2026, on charges of theft and fraud after the funds were allegedly diverted for personal use between June and November 2025.

The EFCC had recovered ₦802.42 million from Kingsley’s accounts and those of his relatives, with an additional N300 million retrieved through transfer reversals. However, Kingsley reportedly chose to serve a one-year prison sentence instead of refunding the outstanding N272,252,193.59 balance.

The matter was taken up by the EFCC, which arraigned Kingsley on charges bordering on theft and fraud. He pleaded guilty to the charges, leading to a court order for him to refund the outstanding sum to First Bank.

The development has generated significant reactions online, with many expressing shock at Kingsley’s decision.